Department for Transport

Network Rail: Billing

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what payment terms Network Rail is required to apply to its suppliers; whether they take action on any supplier who imposes longer payment terms on sub-suppliers; and if so, what action.

baroness sugg: As a supplier dependent business, Network Rail works hard to foster a sustainable supply chain at all levels. Network Rail currently operates a Fair Payment Charter intended to protect lower levels of its supply chain. Network Rail announced on 20 June significant changes to its contracts ahead of the next five year control period, which will build upon the measures set out in the Charter. One of these changes will require larger suppliers to pay their subcontractors within 28 days and remove the use of retention on those payments. Once these contractual changes have been implemented, failure to work in accordance with these requirements will be a technical breach of terms. Network Rail is also introducing the use of project bank accounts on some of its major projects, meaning payments to subcontractors can be agreed by the client and scrutinised more closely.

Railways: Peterborough

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what the dates of (1) submission, and (2) decision under the Transport and Works Act 1992 procedures were for the Werrington rail fly-under; and why the process was not quicker.

baroness sugg: The application for the Network Rail (Werrington Grade Separation) Order 2018 was submitted to the Department under the Transport and Works Act 1992 on 22 December 2016. Following a number of objections to this application a decision was issued by the Secretary of State in March 2017 that a Public Inquiry would be held. This took place in November 2017. The Inspector’s Report of the Inquiry was received by the Secretary of State in March 2018. The Secretary of State’s decision was issued on 27 July 2018. There are no statutory deadlines for making a decision under the Transport and Works Act. The Department aims to process applications as soon as practicable but it is important that applications, including any representations received, are properly considered before a decision is issued.

M6

lord snape: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total estimated cost of the smart motorway work currently taking place on the M6 motorway; and what is the projected completion date.

baroness sugg: There are three smart motorway schemes under construction currently on the M6. These are between Junction 2-4, Junctions 13-15, and Junctions 16-19.The projected total cost for all three schemes is £752.7 million. The expected completion date for all the work is March 2022.

Motorways

lord snape: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the smart motorway work currently taking place on the M6 and other motorways has been evaluated by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority.

baroness sugg: The Infrastructure and Projects Authority evaluates major schemes within the Government’s Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP) - those projects which are the largest, most innovative or contentious. The projects delivering the smart motorway work taking place on the M6 currently, and on other motorways, are not classified as such and, therefore, are not part of the GMPP. However, Highways England deploys appropriate project management governance and assurance in order to maintain effective delivery of its smart motorway projects.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

EURATOM

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will ensure an agreement to replaceEuratom in order to guarantee the seamless continuation of research and development work with the remaining EU member states and other relevant countries.

lord henley: The UK’s objective is to seek association to the Euratom Research and Training Programme as part of an ambitious Science and Innovation Accord with the EU. This would ensure collaboration with the EU across a range of nuclear R&D activities can continue uninterrupted. The UK is also on track to have bilateral Nuclear Cooperation Agreements in place with key partners ahead of March 2019. This will facilitate continued, unimpeded civil nuclear trade and nuclear research cooperation with these countries.

EURATOM

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures they are taking to expedite an increase in the number of people in the Office for Nuclear Regulation and to fulfil the agreements recently reached with the International Atomic Energy Agency during and following withdrawal by the UK from Euratom.

lord henley: The Office for Nuclear Regulation is responsible for its own recruitment. The ONR currently has more safeguards inspectors than its own instructed minimum and is continuing to recruit to ensure the UK can deliver a domestic safeguards regime that honours our international obligation.

EURATOM

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action, if any, they are taking to ensure that during and after the withdrawal of the UK from Euratomthere will be seamless access to nuclear technology, decommissioning skills, and intellectual property as currently provided by membership ofEuratom.

lord henley: The UK and EU have agreed in principle the terms of an implementation period running from 30 March 2019 until 31 December 2020. As outlined in the draft Withdrawal Agreement published on 19 March, such a period will include the provisions of the Euratom Treaty. Alongside this, the Government has stated in its White Paper on the UK’s Future Relationship with Euratom (Cm 9593) that the UK will be seeking a close association with Euratom which will come into force when Euratom arrangements no longer apply. The Government has also published a technical notice on civil nuclear regulation (DEP2018-0836). This notice explains to the civil nuclear industry and stakeholders how the sector will be affected in the UK in the unlikely event that the UK leaves the EU and Euratom in March 2019 with no agreement in place. The Nuclear Sector Deal announced on 28 June 2018 will also promote new opportunities in the sector including a focus on innovation to develop the technology and skills needed to maintain the UK’s position as one of the world’s leading nuclear nations.

EURATOM

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements they are making to ensure that nuclear issues specifically relevant to the UK's relationship with the Republic of Ireland are reviewed before the UK withdrawal fromEuratomis completed.

lord henley: The Department regularly discusses matters of mutual interest in the nuclear field with government counterparts in the Republic of Ireland. The Department, in partnership with the Office for Nuclear Regulation and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, holds a biannual Contact Group on Radiological Matters with Irish government officials and environmental regulators. This Contact Group provides an opportunity to exchange information and to discuss approaches on a wide range of nuclear issues, including Euratom Exit. This is in addition to the regular contact between Ministers in my Department and the Government of Ireland on a range of matters including energy.

Nuclear Power: Regulation

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government whetherthey will ensure that UK nuclear regulators retain at least associate status at European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group meetingsin order to maintain alignment with EU nuclear regulatory developments and to continue to influence decisions that may affect the UK; and if so, how.

lord henley: Maintaining nuclear safety is and always will be a top priority for this Department. The UK has a well-established domestic civil nuclear safety regime which will continue to operate as now following the UK’s departure from the Euratom community.  Irrespective of our future relationship with Euratom, the UK will continue to be a committed and constructive member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and will continue to follow international standards on nuclear safety.

EURATOM

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action, if any, they are taking to establish a state system of accountancy for safeguarded nuclear materials which will match that applied byEuratom.

lord henley: The Government is working to implement a new domestic UK nuclear safeguards regime when Euratom arrangements no longer apply to the UK. The new regime will be regulated by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) and will be equivalent in effectiveness and coverage to that currently provided by Euratom. Parliament has passed the Nuclear Safeguards Act 2018 which provides the legal framework for setting up a domestic nuclear safeguards regime; and Government is consulting on draft Nuclear Safeguards Regulations, which set out the proposed detail of the regime. The ONR will run the UK's State System of Accountancy and Control (SSAC) of Nuclear Material as part of the new domestic regime. The ONR is working to ensure it can have in place by 29 March 2019 the IT systems and safeguards inspectors needed to deliver safeguards arrangements that meet international standards and to build, over time, to coverage and effectiveness equivalent to Euratom.

Artificial Intelligence

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of public perceptions of artificial intelligence; and what measures they will put in place to ensure that the uptake of this technology is done so in a transparent, accountable and ethical manner.

lord henley: The Government is aware of a broad range of views on the potential of artificial intelligence. The independent review on artificial intelligence in the UK stressed the importance of industry and experts working together to secure and deserve public trust, address public perceptions, gain public confidence, and model how to deliver and demonstrate fair treatment. The new Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation (CDEI), AI Council and Office for Artificial Intelligence (OAI) were set up to deliver the recommendations of the review, and therefore have a crucial role to play. Ethical AI safeguards, including transparency and accountability mechanisms, will be scrutinised and improved through the new Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation – the first of its kind anywhere in the world. The £9m Centre will advise on the safe, ethical and innovative use of data driven tech and help negotiate the potential risks and opportunities for the benefit of consumers. The UK already has a strong and well respected regulatory environment, which is an integral part of building customer confidence and trust in new innovations. The Government is committed to ensuring that the public continues to be protected as more artificial intelligence applications come into use across different sectors. We believe creating an environment of responsible innovation is the right approach for gaining the public’s trust, and is ultimately good for UK businesses.

EURATOM

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action, if any, they are taking to ensure that UK withdrawal from Euratom does not diminish UK commitment to the continued development, implementation and improvement of the management of current and foreseeable spent fuel and radioactive waste.

lord henley: The UK has a robust regulatory framework in place for the management of spent fuel and radioactive waste, based on UK legislation that is underpinned by European and International standards. This framework will remain in place upon withdrawal from Euratom. The UK will continue to meet its obligations under the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, which the UK is a Contracting Party to, and as a member of the International Atomic Energy Authority.

Offshore Industry: North Sea

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of reports that UK oil and gas industries operating in the North Sea may suffer labour shortages in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

lord henley: EU exit negotiations are progressing well and we are confident of a deal this autumn. Free movement of people will end as we leave the EU and take back control of the numbers of people coming to live in the UK; however, the UK will continue to want to attract the brightest and best, from the EU and elsewhere, including in the oil and gas industry. The Migration Advisory Committee published their findings on patterns of EU migration and the role of migration in the wider economy on 18 September and the Government will be using their recommendations to help develop our future immigration system.

Aerospace Industry: Safety

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that there are concerns among safety regulators within the UK aerospace industry about preparations for a no-deal Brexit scenario; and what support, if any, they can give to ensure that that sector is prepared for a no-deal Brexit.

lord henley: Exiting the EU without a deal would be in neither side’s interests. We remain confident the UK and the EU will agree a mutually advantageous deal where people right across Europe benefit from liberal aviation market access. We are working hard to secure this outcome. However, a responsible government should prepare for all potential outcomes, including the unlikely scenario in which no mutually satisfactory agreement can be reached. We are working with the UK Civil Aviation Authority to prepare and equip the UK to be ready for a non-negotiated exit.There has been cross-government engagement with key stakeholders across the aerospace sector since the referendum, which has informed and will continues to inform our thinking. Being outside the EU will not change the UK’s approach to aviation safety. We are absolutely clear that the UK will continue to be a world leader in this field.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Bangladesh: Demonstrations

baroness berridge: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessmentthey have made of the security situation in Bangladesh following recent security forces' responses to the road safety protests in Dhaka.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​I was deeply concerned by the violence we saw in Dhaka in response to road safety protests by students following the tragic deaths of two school age students on 29 July. In a statement on 7 August, the British High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Alison Blake, together with other EU Heads of Mission, called on government to investigate incidents of unlawful or disproportionate violence or action against protestors and journalists and to hold perpetrators to account. Subsequently, Joint Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development Minister Alistair Burt expressed our concern regarding the response to the road safety protests with the Government of Bangladesh, during his visit to Bangladesh from 28-31 August. Bangladesh remains a Human Rights Priority Country for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. We raised freedom of expression as a key concern in Bangladesh during the UN Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review.

Bangladesh: Demonstrations

baroness berridge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to Bangladeshi authorities about the arrest of Shahidul Alam following comments he made about the road safety protests in Dhaka.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​I was deeply concerned by the violence we saw in Dhaka in response to road safety protests by students following the tragic deaths of two school age students on 29 July, and the subsequent arrest of Mr. Shahidul Alam. In a statement on 7 August, the British High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Alison Blake, together with other EU Heads of Mission, called on government to investigate incidents of unlawful or disproportionate violence or action against protestors and journalists and to hold perpetrators to account. Subsequently, Joint Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development Minister Alistair Burt expressed our concern regarding the response to the road safety protests, and raised Mr Alam's case, with the Government of Bangladesh, during his visit to Bangladesh from 28-31 August. Bangladesh remains a Human Rights Priority Country for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. We raised freedom of expression as a key concern in Bangladesh during the UN Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review.

Kenya: Counter-terrorism

lord carlile of berriew: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much financial support they provideto the BRICS/Wasafiri countering violent extremism programme in Kenya; and what assessment they have made of (1) the programme’s effect on Al-Shabaab, (2) its effect on the national security of the UK and Kenya respectively, and (3) its value for money in the context of UK overseas commitments.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​Between November 2015 and August 2018, through the Conflict, Security and Stability Fund we invested £7.5m in the Building Resilience Civil Society (BRICS) programme in East Africa. The programme has improved our understanding of the drivers of violent extremism in East Africa and, through civil society organisations, supported governments in the region to strengthen their response to violent extremism. In Kenya, the programme has helped the development of county action plans to tackle violent extremism in four counties, including in relation to Al-Shabaab. The UK-Kenya Security Compact, signed during the Prime Minister's visit in August, includes a commitment to roll out these action plans to more counties. The programme also provided grants to civil society organisations working with young people at risk of radicalisation or recruitment by violent extremist groups. In June, our BRICS programme received an ‘A’ for outcome and was commended for its focus on learning and responsive programming. The Annual Review summary will be published in due course.

Sudan: Christianity

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they last raised issues of freedom of religion for Christians in Sudan with their Sudanese counterparts.

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the United States State Department,International Religious Freedom Report for 2017,published in May; and what steps they are taking to urge the government of Sudan to respect freedom of religion or belief.

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the rights of Christians in Sudan were raised by officials as part of the latest round of the UK-Sudan Strategic Dialogue in May.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Sudan remains a Human Rights Priority Country for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. I visited Sudan between 3-5 September and raised religious freedoms, including for Christians, with senior members of the government. I also met a number of Christian and Muslim religious leaders to hear directly from them about their experiences. Freedom of religion or belief is a core part of the human rights element of the UK-Sudan Strategic Dialogue, and will be discussed at the sixth round in October this year, as it was at the fifth round in April. The UK is aware of the Annual Report on the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, published in May, and works closely with US colleagues on our shared priorities in this area.

Malaysia: Homosexuality

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Malaysia about the caning of two women for having a same-sex relationship.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Government was deeply concerned by the caning of two Malaysian women on 3 September for having a same sex relationship. Our High Commissioner to Malaysia wrote to the Chief Minister of Terengganu to convey UK views on the criminalisation of homosexuality, on the sentence of caning and made an appeal for clemency. Our High Commissioner in Kuala Lumpur has also tweeted her disappointment on the sentence.We engage regularly with government, states, and civil society in Malaysia on human rights, including the rights of the LGBT community. The UK opposes all corporal punishment and any other forms of cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment, in any circumstances, anywhere around the world.

Zimbabwe: Pensions

lord goodlad: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made in assisting the government of Zimbabwe to pay any arrears owing to former members of Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK does not have any legal responsibility for pension payments to former Southern Rhodesian civil servants. Responsibility sits with the Government of Zimbabwe, who confirmed this in writing in 2016. However, the UK regularly presses the Zimbabwean government to honour its obligation to pay the arrears. Eligible UK-appointed retired civil servants have been paid regularly from the Central African Pension Fund.

Burma: Rohingya

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making, both bilaterally and multilaterally, to the government of Myanmar to address the issues and policies which have led to the Rohingya refugee crisis.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The Government has consistently urged the Government of Burma to address the underlying issues in Rakhine, including discrimination against the Rohingya community. The UK supported the Rakhine Advisory Commission (RAC) and continues to push for full implementation of the RAC's recommendations as the best opportunity for a long-term and sustainable settlement in Rakhine State. The Minister for Asia and the Pacific discussed the situation in Rakhine during a telephone conversation with Minister for International Co-operation Kyaw Tin on 17 August whilst in the region. The UK has consistently raised the crisis in multilateral settings; most recently I chaired a session at the UN Security Council on 28 August under the UK's Presidency, and also raised the issue of the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya Community during my address to the Human Right's council on 17 September.

Department of Health and Social Care

Contraceptives

baroness barker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase the use of long-acting reversible contraception in general practice.

baroness barker: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of Public Health England’s document, A consensus statement: reproductive health is a public issue, published on 26 June, what steps they are taking to improve universal access to the full range of contraception choices.

lord o'shaughnessy: Sexual health services are commissioned at a local level to meet the needs of the local population. The Government has mandated local authorities in England to commission comprehensive open access sexual health services, including “advice on, and reasonable access to, a broad range of contraceptive substances and appliances”. In addition, NHS England commissions contraception provided as an additional service under the general practitioner contract. Prescriptions of long acting reversible contraception (LARC) in sexual and reproductive health services increased by 25% between 2012/13 and 2016/17 from 272,000 to 342,000. However, in primary care prescriptions of LARC decreased from 1.3 million to 1.2 million. Departmental officials are working with Public Health England to take forward actions on reproductive health following publication of their consensus statement and will consider ways to promote access to the full range of contraception through this work.

Health Services

baroness barker: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light ofPublic Health England’s document, A consensus statement: reproductive health is a public issue, published on 26 June, what steps they are taking to ensure that reproductive health decision-making is directly informed by women’s voices.

lord o'shaughnessy: Public Health England (PHE) has created a user reference group made up of women from the community who have experienced severe reproductive health issues in order to ensure actions in the action plan reflect service users’ needs. The action plan is due to be published in March 2019.PHE has asked women in the user reference group help determine how issues outlined in A consensus statement: reproductive health is a public issue, published on 26 June could be addressed. Solutions suggested by women were then presented to PHE’s task and finish group made up of experts from across the sector including the Department, NHS England, the Local Government Association, the Association of Directors of Public Health, the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Health, the Royal College of General Practitioners, the Royal College of Nursing, the Royal College of Midwives, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Brook and the Family Planning Association in order to help formulate actions for the action plan. PHE plans to continue this as an iterative process throughout the development, implementation and evaluation of the action plan.



A_consensus_statement_reproductive_health_is_a_pub
(PDF Document, 476.87 KB)

Coeliac Disease: Prescriptions

lord campbell-savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the (1) costs or (2) savings to the NHS of restricting the availability of gluten-free foods on prescription.

lord o'shaughnessy: The cost to the National Health Service of prescribing gluten-free foods in 2017 was £15.7 million. This was the net ingredient cost (NIC) of the products and did not include associated costs such as pharmacist dispensing fees and primary care consultation costs. Following a public consultation on the ‘Availability of Gluten Free Foods on NHS Prescription in Primary Care’ launched on 31 March 2017, the Government has decided to restrict the prescribing of gluten-free foods to bread and mixes only. This will save £2.6 million of the NIC plus associated savings.

Coeliac Disease: Prescriptions

lord campbell-savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect of the reduction in the prescribing of gluten-free foods on low income families where a member of the family suffers from coeliac disease.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Department carried out an analysis of this issue as part of its Equalities Impact Assessment which was published as part of the consultation on the ‘Availability of Gluten Free Foods on Prescription in Primary Care’ launched in March 2017. A copy of the Equality Impact Assessment: Following the consultation ‘Availability of Gluten Free Food on Prescription in Primary Care’ is attached. We looked at the equality impact assessment and the consultation responses and as a result made the decision to retain gluten free bread and mixes on National Health Service prescription. This will help mitigate the risk that those on lower incomes are not able to purchase their own gluten free foods from retail outlets where evidence shows price is often higher and availability more limited.



Equality_impact_assessment_GF_food.pdf
(PDF Document, 197.33 KB)

Coeliac Disease: Prescriptions

lord campbell-savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they are giving to Clinical Commissioning Groups on the funding of gluten-free prescribing.

lord o'shaughnessy: It is not the role of the Department to advise National Health Service clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) on the funding of gluten-free prescribing. CCGs are expected to have regard to national guidance and to take into account the needs of their local population in developing their own, local approaches to implementation.

Department of Health and Social Care: Families

baroness eaton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Department of Health and Social Care policieshave been assessed against theFamilyTest; and whether they will publishany such assessments.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Department does not hold this information. However, it is a Departmental requirement for all submissions to Ministers, including policy submissions, to cover all relevant legal duties including the Family Test.The Department has to date published more than 100 such assessments which are only available online.

Medical Records: Data Protection

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government by what single mechanism a family may exercise their right to dissent from data being used for purposes beyond direct care following the planned removal of the GP "type-2" extract process in October.

lord o'shaughnessy: National data opt-outs are set on an individual basis. Currently patients who wish to set a national data opt-out can do so themselves using the digital, telephone or non-digital (postal) service. The current mechanism for anyone under the age of 13 to opt out of their confidential patient information being shared for purposes beyond the patient’s individual care is through the non-digital route and can only be set by someone with parental responsibility.The National Data Opt-out Programme is currently implementing improvements to the existing process for parental opt-outs which will introduce a multi-children version enabling a parent to opt-out more than one child at a time.

Food: UK Trade with EU

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government in the event of a no-deal outcome to the Brexit discussions whether they intend to inspect each container of food imported from the EU to ensure that food safety standards are upheld.

lord o'shaughnessy: From day one, the United Kingdom is committed to having in place a robust and effective regulatory regime which will mean business can continue to run as normal. Risk-assessment and oversight of food safety controls will be essential to ensure that food remains safe, whether imported or produced in the UK. The Food Standards Agency will shortly be publishing its technical notice on imported food which will contain further information on the Government’s proposals for managing the risk from imported food in the event of a no-deal outcome.

Food: UK Trade with EU

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the staffing requirements and costs of maintaining safety inspections of EU imported food products at UK borders oncethe UK has left the EU.

lord o'shaughnessy: Preparing for European Union exit is a key priority for the Food Standards Agency. Their planning will ensure that, from the day the United Kingdom leaves the EU, it will have the necessary resources to maintain protection for UK consumers from food risks.The Food Standards Agency will shortly be publishing its technical notice on imported food which will contain further information on the Government’s proposals for managing the risk from imported food in the event of a no-deal outcome.

Food Standards Agency

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government on how many occasions, and when, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and the Minister for Public Health have met the Chief Executive and Chair of the Food Standards Agency since 2015.

lord o'shaughnessy: Since 2015, there have been no meetings between the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and the Chief Executive and Chair of the Food Standards Agency (FSA).Since 2015, Ministers with portfolio responsibility for the FSA within their portfolio have met with the Chair or Chief Executive Officer on the following dates: Meeting with FSA Chair and Chief Executive OfficerMeeting with FSA Chair 17 March 2015, 28 July 2015, 9 September 2015 (by telephone)3 December 2015 13 April 2016, 5 July 2016, 10 October 2016, 28 November 201612 January 2016 None in 20171 March 2017 (by telephone), 6 March 2017, 16 March 2017, 24 October 2017 To date, there have been no meetings in 2018.

Food: Imports

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether scenario planning in relation to Brexit has included the option of suspending food regulations and inspections should delays occur at UK borders after Brexit.

lord o'shaughnessy: Leaving the European Union does not change the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) top priority which is to ensure that United Kingdom food remains safe and what it says it is. Effective planning will ensure that from the day the UK leaves the EU, the necessary resources will be in place to maintain protection for UK consumers from food risks.The FSA is committed to having in place a robust and effective regulatory regime which will mean business can continue to run as normal. If any rules change after the UK leaves the EU, the FSA will apply its usual rigorous risk assessment to those changes and ensure public safety remains at the heart of everything it does.The FSA will shortly be publishing its technical notice on imported food which will contain further information on the Government’s proposals for managing the risk from imported food in the event of a no-deal outcome.

Orkambi

lord pearson of rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will invite the NHS and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to re-consider their decision not to offer Orkambi to cystic fibrosis sufferers in England and Wales.

lord o'shaughnessy: It is crucial that patients have access to the most effective and innovative medicines at a price that represents value to the National Health Service. While Ministers are keeping a very close eye on negotiations, it is the responsibility of NHS England as the commissioner and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as the independent body that is responsible for making recommendations on whether drugs and other treatments represent a clinically and cost-effective use of NHS resources, to work with Vertex to agree a deal to secure the best outcome for patients and a price for Orkambi that is fair and responsible.NHS England has proposed its best offer ever for a drug. This offer, in the region of £500 million over five years, is the largest ever commitment of its kind in the 70-year history of the NHS. This would guarantee immediate and expanded access to both Orkambi and the drug Kalydeco for patients who need it. While it is disappointing that Vertex has not taken up NHS England’s offer, we are pleased to hear that they have responded positively to NHS England’s and NICE’s latest offer to meet. We would urge Vertex to reconsider this fair offer.

Berwick Infirmary

lord beith: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of proposals to replace the Berwick Infirmary with a new facility in Tweedmouth built in conjunction with a leisure centre rather than rebuilding on the existing site, and whether appropriate consultation has taken place.

lord o'shaughnessy: How and where National Health Service services are provided is a matter for local health and care leaders to decide with the local population. Northumberland County Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee support these proposals, considering them as meeting the healthcare needs of the people of Berwick.Since the proposals are not regarded as a substantial change to current service provision, no formal public consultation has been required. However, local public engagement has, and will, continue to be carried out as the scheme progresses.

Orthopaedics

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many NHS-funded hip and knee operations have been undertaken by independent providers in each of the last five years; and what percentage of overall NHS hip and knee operationsthey represent.

lord o'shaughnessy: A table showing a count of finished consultant episodes with a main or secondary procedure of knee replacement and hip replacement where treatment was carried out by the independent sector, and the proportion these represent of all National Health Service knee and hip replacements from 2012-13 to 2016-17, is attached due to the size of the data.



Knee and hip replacements by provider
(Word Document, 22.16 KB)

Medical Treatments

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many NHS-funded trauma and orthopaedic procedures have been undertaken by independent providers in each of the last five years; and what percentage of overall NHS trauma and orthopaedic procedures theyrepresent.

lord o'shaughnessy: The following table shows a count of finished consultant episodes (FCEs) with a treatment specialty for 'orthopaedic procedures' that were carried out by the independent sector in England from 2012-13 to 2016-17 and the percentage of overall National Health Service trauma and orthopaedic procedures they represent. Financial YearAll organisationsIndependent sectorIndependent sector as a %2012-131,179,744138,41511.7%2013-141,215,408153,50012.6%2014-151,228,770195,78315.9%2015-161,205,016184,51115.3%2016-171,209,766195,60116.2% Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS DigitalNote:A FCE is a continuous period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. FCEs are counted against the year in which they end. Figures do not represent the number of different patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the same stay in hospital or in different stays in the same year.

NHS: Drugs

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much theirinitiative to stockpile medicines in the event of a no-deal Brexit will cost.

lord o'shaughnessy: On 23 August 2018, the Department wrote to pharmaceutical companies that supply medicines for National Health Service patients from, or via, the European Union or European Economic Area asking them, in the event of a no-deal Brexit, to ensure they have a minimum of six weeks additional supply in the United Kingdom, over and above their business as usual operational buffer stocks, by 29 March 2019.The Department also asked those suppliers to indicate how they propose to ensure continuity of supply of their products to the NHS and said it would consider how the Department may support suppliers in making arrangements to meet this expectation following the receipt of evidence.It is not possible to calculate what the initiative to stockpile medicines will cost industry, or decide what support the Government may provide until these responses have been received and analysed.

Radiology: Consultants

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many senior consultant radiologist posts are currently unfilled in NHS England; what impact the level of unfilled posts is having on patient care; what the additional bill to the NHS has been in outsourcing imaging work to private companies in the past five years; and what action they are taking to recruit and train senior radiologists in the NHS.

lord o'shaughnessy: Information is not available on vacancies by medical specialty and medical grade including the number of senior consultant radiologist posts which are currently unfilled.NHS Digital collects data on the numbers of staff employed in Hospital and Community Health Services, and for doctors by speciality doctors by speciality and medical career grade (including Consultant and Directors of Public Health, Associate Specialist, Specialty Doctor, Staff Grade and Doctors in training), however this is not collected specifically at senior consultant level, and therefore we have made no assessment of any potential impact of specific unfilled posts on patient care.Responsibility for staffing levels, including the consultant workforce, rests with individual National Health Service trusts and their boards who are best placed to decide how many staff they need to provide safe, effective and compassionate care.Since 2010, the NHS radiology workforce has grown at a faster rate (28%) than the medical workforce across all specialties (15%). The number of doctors in radiology training has increased by 22%, compared to 10% for those in training for all specialties.Health Education England (HEE) is increasing investment in clinical radiology training year on year to increase the output of new clinical radiology specialists and grow the workforce. Clinical radiology training has achieved a 100% fill rate over the last four years. HEE will consider whether further action is required to increase net supply beyond 2021 in the light of the longer-term workforce strategy.Information is not held centrally on the cost to the NHS of outsourcing imaging work to private companies in the past five years.In the Cancer Workforce Plan for England, published in December 2017, HEE set out the case for the need to target additional training support for clinical radiology, histopathology, oncology and diagnostic and therapeutic radiography. HEE is taking the following specific actions to increase supply of the radiology workforce by 2021 by:- improving the retention of staff;- international recruitment;- increasing the supply pool through streamlining accreditation and validation; and- encouraging clinicians to return to practice through a dedicated programme. A copy of Cancer Workforce Plan: Phase 1: Delivering the cancer strategy to 2021, is attached.



Cancer Workforce Plan
(PDF Document, 589.44 KB)

Department for International Development

Syria: Internally Displaced People

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that displaced civilians now in Idlib province be offered safe passage to more peaceful areas in Syria.

lord bates: Half of the current population of Idlib are people who have already been displaced. It is right that those people should be safe from attack, and ultimately be able to return to their homes, but this can only happen when it is safe for them to do so. With our international partners, the UK continues to use our position at the UN and International Syria Support Group to advocate for the protection of civilians in Syria. This includes calling on the Syrian regime and it backers to uphold the ceasefire they have agreed and respect international humanitarian law, as well as allowing humanitarian agencies unfettered access to deliver aid to those who need it most.

Turkey: Syria

lord mcinnes of kilwinning: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Turkey to identify the level of support that is needed to deal with any expected influx of refugees to Turkey from Idlib province; and what support they intend to provide as a result of such discussions.

lord bates: The UK maintains a regular dialogue – at all levels – with the Turkish authorities on a range on humanitarian issues, including contingency planning for large scale movements of people from Idlib and surrounding areas, as well as support for those currently located in the Northwest Syria. The UK is supporting refugees and host communities in Turkey through EU Facility for Refugees in Turkey (FRIT). The FRIT is supporting refugees and host communities by building schools, providing health services and social welfare payments for the most vulnerable refugees, to alleviate pressure on Turkish communities hosting refugees. The UK committed €328 million to the FRIT in 2016, as well as an additional €155 million in 2018. The UK is already supporting those living in Northwest Syria, and has boosted this support in preparation for a regime offensive in the region. On 13 September, DFID announced additional aid funding of up to £42 million for Northern Syria. This money will help to provide Syrians affected by a regime military offensive with shelter, clean water and sanitation, mental health services, and support of health workers and facilities.

Department for Education

Apprentices: Training

lord sharkey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Agnew of Oulton on 25 July (HL9666), why they do not monitor or collect information on the size of employers supported by contracts awarded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency for apprentice training.

lord sharkey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Agnew of Oulton on 25 July (HL9666), who were the recipients of Education and Skills Funding Agency contracts for the training of apprentices; what was the value of each such contract; and which awardees subcontract such training, either wholly or partially.

lord agnew of oulton: The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) does not currently monitor or collect information on the size of employers supported by contracts awarded for apprenticeship training by these contracts.The ESFA is currently reviewing the scope of information collected, with a view to including information about employers supported by contracts in future data collection.The ESFA currently contracts with 713 training providers for an overall value of £562 million. Further details of these training providers is attached. These contracts run from January 2018 to March 2019, and support apprenticeship delivery for 16 to 18 year olds and adult learners.



HL10016_HL10021_non-levy_procured_contracts
(Excel SpreadSheet, 138.5 KB)

Apprentices: Training

lord sharkey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Agnew of Oulton on 25 July (HL9666), what percentage of contracts for the training of apprentices, by number and by value, has been awarded by theEducation and Skills Funding Agency to organisations which subcontract such training.

lord agnew of oulton: The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) is in the process of collating subcontractor data from providers awarded apprenticeship contracts. The ESFA will publish in due course an updated list of subcontractors on the GOV.UK website that are contracted to deliver over £100,000 of adult education and training per year by the providers it funds.

Secondary Education: Teachers

baroness bonham-carter of yarnbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many key stage 4 (1) art and design, (2) music, (3) drama, (4) design and technology, (5) history, and (6) geography teachers therewere in state secondary schools in England for each year from 2010 to 2017.

baroness bonham-carter of yarnbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the annualpercentage change in the number of key stage 4 (1) art and design, (2) music, (3) drama, (4) design and technology, (5) history, and (6) geography teachers in state secondary schools in England for each year from 2010 to 2017.

baroness bonham-carter of yarnbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many key stage 3 (1) art and design, (2) music, (3) drama, (4) design and technology, (5) history, and (6) geography teachers therewere in state secondary schools in England for each year from 2010 to 2017.

baroness bonham-carter of yarnbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the annual percentage changein the number of key stage 3 (1) art and design, (2) music, (3) drama, (4) design and technology, (5) history, and (6) geography teachers in state secondary schools in England for each year from 2010 to 2017.

lord agnew of oulton: The number of teachers in state funded secondary schools for the requested subjects is shown in the attached table. The table shows that numbers of teachers for art and design, music, drama and design and technology decreased between 2010 and 2017. The number of teachers for history and geography increased between 2010 and 2017.Information on subjects by teachers in state funded secondary schools is collected from a large sample of schools. This is then weighted and grossed to provide national totals. The percentage of schools returning this information each year has been provided for context.Driving recruitment and boosting retention of teachers is a key focus for this government.To support the recruitment of music and history teachers, we offer tax-free bursaries of up to £9,000. Design and Technology (D&T) teacher recruitment is supported through bursaries of up to £12,000. For geography we offer tax-free bursaries of £26,000 for trainees with a 2:2 or higher, or a prestigious scholarship worth £28,000 tax-free.All trainees on tuition fee-funded training routes are able to apply for student finance, regardless of their subject and degree class. This includes a tuition fee loan so that trainees do not need to pay for training upfront and a maintenance loan to support living costs.In March, the Secretary of State for Education announced a strategy to drive recruitment and boost retention of teachers. The strategy will build upon the existing work already undertaken to support schools, including; introducing a period of stability; clarifying the roles of actors within the accountability system and providing evidence-based solutions to strip away the workload that does not benefit pupils. The strategy will cover a wide range of areas such as professional development, career progression, flexible working and entry routes into teaching.



HL10054_55_56_57_qualified_teachers_per_subject
(Excel SpreadSheet, 31.5 KB)

Children: Disadvantaged

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will assess the impact of the £2 million funding scheme to help disadvantaged children to benefit from healthy meals and enriching activities during the summer of 2018 to determine (1) whether the funding benefited a range of disadvantaged families, (2) whether there was any shortfall in the funding required to support the pilot projects, and (3) how the pilot will inform planning for similar enrichment programmes in future school holiday periods.

lord agnew of oulton: Earlier this year, we announced a programme of research and pilots across the country to investigate how to provide a balanced enrichment programme, combining engaging activities with healthy and nutritious meals, for the most disadvantaged school-age pupils.Organisations were invited to bid for a share of up to £2 million. Seven of them were successful in securing funding to explore ways of supporting children from disadvantaged families to access free enrichment activities and healthy food during the school holidays.The seven organisations that received funding for 2018 will report to the department on the impact of their work as well as on the number of disadvantaged children and families that have benefitted. The data and information collected during the summer will be used to shape our plans for 2019, which we will set out later in autumn 2018.

Horticulture: Education

baroness fookes: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the total spend on horticultural education and training for students over 16 years old by the Education and Skills Funding Agency for the last three financial years.

baroness fookes: To ask Her Majesty's Government why ornamental horticulture and floristry has been removed from Annex C of the funding regulations for post-16 education.

lord agnew of oulton: The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) does not hold the total spend on horticultural education and training for students over 16 years old. This is because the agency cannot disaggregate this information from the data that they hold.Ornamental horticulture has never been an identified occupational area in the criteria used to assign specialist status; consequently it has not been removed from Annex C. However, the specialist provision group (a group with whom the ESFA consults which includes representatives from land-based colleges) agrees that ornamental/amenity horticulture requires very similar resources to production horticulture (which is an identified occupational area in the criteria), and therefore that the list of land-based occupational areas will be updated so that production horticulture changes to horticulture (thereby including ornamental, amenity and production horticulture).Floristry was removed from the criteria on the advice of the specialist provision group when the criteria were reviewed in November 2015. It was removed because it does not require exceptionally significant resources that must operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week throughout the year - a fundamental principle in awarding land-based institutions specialist resources.

Schools: Governing Bodies

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase the ability of local communities to influence the governance of primary and secondary schools.

lord agnew of oulton: Mechanisms are in place to ensure that school governing bodies are connected with, and responsive to, the communities they serve. The Board of a maintained school must include at least two parent governors - elected where possible or otherwise appointed. Academy trusts are also required to elect at least two parent trustees, represented at Board level or on each local governing body at a multi-academy trust. We are satisfied that these mechanisms allow local communities to contribute their views, influence decisions and play an active part in effective governance across the school system.

Home Education

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children in England were home educated in each of the years(1) 2013–14, (2) 2014–15, (3) 2015–16, and (4) 2016–17.

lord agnew of oulton: Data on the number of children educated at home are not collected centrally. Local authorities may collect such data, but as there is no obligation upon parents to register children as being educated at home, such data will not be complete.

Ministry of Justice

Coroners

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many instances of crowdfunding to cover the cost of legal representation for families involved in inquests have taken place in the last five years.

lord keen of elie: The Ministry of Justice is aware that there have been instances of crowdfunding to cover the cost of legal representation at inquest proceedings, for example at the inquests into the deaths of those who died in the Birmingham pub bombings and the inquests of the victims of Stephen Port, but the Department does not routinely collect information on instances of crowdfunding.We are currently undertaking a review of the provision of legal aid for inquests, due to be published by the end of the year alongside the wider review of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012.

Stephen Port

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria were used in the assessment of legal aid support to families involved in the inquests covering the deaths of the victims of Stephen Port.

lord keen of elie: The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is not aware of having received any applications to date for public funding for representation at an inquest from the families of the victims of Stephen Port. When assessing such applications in general, the Director of Legal Aid Casework (DLAC) must have regard to the Lord Chancellor’s guidance set out under section 4(3) of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offender’s Act (LASPO) 2012. The criteria applied by the Legal Aid Agency are outlined under Section 10 of LASPO. The DLAC must also determine whether an applicant meets the financial eligibility test as provided in the Civil Legal Aid (Financial Resources and Payment for Services) Regulations 2013, or decide whether to waive financial eligibility and/or contribution to costs in whole or in part, as well as satisfy the merits criteria set out in the Civil Legal Aid (Merits Criteria) Regulations 2013. An application for legal aid may be submitted to the LAA in order for such a determination to be made.

Prison Advice and Care Trust

lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Catholic Prison Advice and Care Trust in the last five years; and what assessment they have made of the work of that charity.

lord keen of elie: We have a longstanding relationship with the Prison Advice and Care Trust (PACT), and we recognise the crucial role that they, and other Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) organisations, carry out in supporting offenders and delivering rehabilitative services. I am pleased to note, too, that PACT have recently been awarded the contract for the provision of family engagement services for the female estate.We will continue to engage with PACT as we take forward Lord Farmer’s recommendations as part of our wider prison reform agenda.

Legal Aid Scheme: Public Spaces Protection Orders

lord rosser: To ask Her Majesty's Government in what circumstances, to whom, and to what extent, is legal aid available to challenge public spaces protection orders under the statutory appeal procedure provided in section 66 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

lord keen of elie: We have made sure that legal aid continues to be available in the most serious cases, for example where people’s life, liberty, or housing is at stake or where their children may be taken into care. Legal aid is available for the making, varying, discharging and appealing of certain Protection Orders where there is a real risk to an individual’s life or liberty. Challenges to Public Space Protection Orders do not currently fall within the scope of the legal aid scheme. However, individuals may apply for Exceptional Case Funding where failure to provide legal aid would breach, or risk breaching, the European Convention on Human Rights or enforceable EU law, subject to statutory tests of means and merits.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Families

baroness eaton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government policieshave been assessed against theFamilyTest; and whether they will publishany such assessments.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government is committed to supporting families. To achieve this, in 2014 we introduced the Family Test, which aims to ensure that any impact on family relationships and functioning is recognised early on during the process of policy development and help inform the policy decisions made by Minsters. There is no requirement for departments to publish the results of assessments made under the Family Test.

Community Relations: Finance

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what formula they use to determine the funding to be provided for integration initiatives in areas with higher levels of migration.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Funding for integration initiatives supported through the Controlling Migration Fund and the Integrated Communities Innovation Fund is in response to the case made by the areas themselves about local need. Local need also informs the priorities set by the five Integration Areas named in the Integrated Communities Strategy Green Paper.

National Holocaust Memorial Centre and Learning Service

lord fraser of corriegarth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with relevant parties concerning the proposed construction of a Holocaust memorial in Victoria Tower Gardens in London.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, together with the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation and our expert advisers, have discussed the proposed Memorial and Learning Centre with the full range of relevant parties including local residents, Westminster Council and The Royal Parks. Discussions will continue as we prepare to submit a planning application.

National Holocaust Memorial Centre and Learning Service

lord fraser of corriegarth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the suitability of Victoria Tower Gardens in London as a location for a new Holocaust memorial.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation conducted an extensive search of central London locations before recommending Victoria Tower Gardens as the site for the proposed Memorial and Learning Centre. The Government agreed with the Foundation's recommendation and in January 2016 the then Prime Minister announced that the Memorial would be built in Victoria Tower Gardens, standing beside Parliament as a permanent statement of our values as a nation.

Social Rented Housing: Finance

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much of the £2 billion which the Prime Minister announced in October 2017 to be allocated for housing at social rents has so far been spent; and over what period they expect that the remainder will be used.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: In October 2017, the Prime Minister announced an additional £2 billion funding for affordable housing, increasing the Affordable Homes Programme budget to over £9 billion to deliver a wide range of affordable housing, including social rent homes.The £2 billion, together with £1.4 billion of funding announced in Autumn 2016 but not previously allocated, was split equally between the Greater London Authority and Homes England, with each receiving £1.67 billion. Homes England published the prospectus and invited bids from housing associations and local authorities on 26 June 2018, with all social rent funding being spent by March 2022.At least 12,500 social rent homes will be delivered in high cost areas in a move to support families struggling to pay their rent.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Plastics

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to reduce the use of plastic within that Department.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: In our 25 Year Environment Plan, the Government outlined a range of measures on how we will reduce the amount of plastic in circulation through reducing demand for single-use plastic. This included a commitment to removing all consumer single use plastics from the central government estate offices.At our London headquarters, we have already replaced all single-use plastic coffee cups, food containers and cutlery from our catering services, with compostable alternatives.

High Rise Flats: Fire Prevention

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many social housing tower blocks that have failed Building Research Establishment tests have had their cladding fully removed, or rectified.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: 121 buildings have started the process of remediation, and of these freeholders have reported that 14 buildings have finished remediation – including receiving sign-off from building control where necessary. Government is fully funding the removal and replacement of unsafe aluminium composite material cladding on residential social housing buildings over 18 metres owned by councils and housing associations, with costs estimated at £400 million. The latest remediation figures are found in the Building Safety Programme’s monthly data release: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-safety-programme-monthly-data-release-august-2018.

Building Regulations and Fire Safety Independent Review

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made on fire safety since the publication of the Hackitt Review in May.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Secretary of State's written statement on 19 July (HCWS890) provided a comprehensive update on the critical work that the Government has done thus far to improve building safety and ensure that people are safe, and feel safe in their homes. The Government also produces monthly data releases on progress with identifying and remediating buildings with unsafe cladding combinations, the most recent of which was on 23 August and is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-safety-programme-monthly-data-release-august-2018

UK Municipal Bonds Agency: Finance

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the financial viability of the UK Municipal Bonds Agency.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: UK Municipal Bonds Agency is owned by the Local Government Association and Local Councils. It is for the sector to form a view on the financial viability of such an agency.

Local Government Finance: Coastal Areas

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they are providing to local authorities that serve coastal communities.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Since 2012 we have invested over £173 million across the UK in 295 Coastal Community Fund (CCF) projects. Over 70 per cent of this funding has gone to coastal local authorities that have been awarded grants directly for their own projects or to manage funds on behalf of voluntary or community sector projects in their area. I will shortly be announcing the first tranche of winners in CCF Round 5 in EnglandWe have also provided £1.46 million to help establish 146 Coastal Community Teams (CCTs) in England which bring together local councils, businesses, and local stakeholders to agree priorities for economic development in their area. The £10,000 grant each CCT has received was paid to the participating local authority, all of whom are involved in the development of the CCT economic plan.The Coastal Revival Fund (CRF) has provided £3.7 million to support 92 projects in coastal areas in England to help kick start the regeneration of “at risk” coastal heritage with potential to create opportunities for new economic uses. All CRF grants are paid through local authorities to support approved projects. A new CRF round opened in May 2018 with £1 million available to help bring more coastal heritage assets back into use.Central government also pays Revenue Support Grant to all local authorities, including those serving coastal communities, to finance revenue expenditure on any service they provide.

Local Government Finance

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the concerns raised by the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers about proposals from the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy to devise a simplified approach to assess councils' financial resilience.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The production of the resilience index is a matter for Charted Institute of Public Finance Accountancy (CIPFA). We are aware CIPFA have recently concluded a consultation of their proposed resilience index. I understand that CIPFA are considering the outcome of the consultation, including representations from sector organisations and senior managers within local government.

Councillors

lord wallace of saltaire: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the total number of elected councillors, at all levels of local government, in England in (1) 1988, (2) 1998, (3) 2008, and (4) 2018.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: This information is not held centrally.

Ministry of Defence

Ministry of Defence: Families

baroness eaton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Ministry of Defence policieshave been assessed against theFamilyTest; and whether they will publishany such assessments.

earl howe: The Government is committed to supporting families. To achieve this, in 2014 we introduced the Family Test, which aims to ensure that impacts on family relationships and functioning are recognised early on during the process of policy development and help inform the policy decisions made by Ministers. There is no requirement for Departments to publish the results of assessments made under the Family Test.

Department for Work and Pensions

Office for Disability Issues

baroness thomas of winchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what projects the Office for Disability Issues are currently working on.

baroness buscombe: The Office for Disability Issues (ODI) works across government to support and develop policies that deliver the Government vision - to create a society that works for everyone, where all can participate fully, and be included in society. Departments have a responsibility to make sure their policies take account of disabled people and we are supporting a wide range of Departments across Government to fulfil their obligations to disabled people. As well as seeking to support a range of departments on issues such as built environment, employment, transport, social care, education, sport etc - current ODI led projects include: Developing and supporting the new Disability and Society Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG), chaired by the Rt Hon Esther McVey – to drive forward action across government to tackle the barriers disabled people face to realise their full participation in society, including increasing disability employment rates and improving access to culture, sport and transport.Working across departments to further the implementation of the UN Convention Rights of Disabled People, reviewing the recommendations from the UN review in 2017 to address key issues and report as required to the UN.Reinvigorating Government stakeholder engagement to ask disabled people what issues they want Government to address as priorities, and input at the right stages to inform policy development and delivery. This includes delivering new face to face and online forums across England, enabling and encouraging individuals and user led organisations across England to play an active part in shaping government policy.Working with fourteen Ministerial appointed Sector Champions to work within their sector identifying barriers disabled people face and working pro-actively to remove them where possible.OpenLab – curating a website and virtual community that promotes technology and technological developments for disabled people.Accessible communications – leading a project to help other departments fulfil their obligations under the Equality Act and raise awareness in Government of the need for information to be provided in alternative communications formats for some disabled people. Producing guidance for all departments to support them.Working with the assistance dog sector to design a standard to address issues concerning access to services

Universal Credit

baroness thomas of winchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that work coaches are prepared for any increase in caseloads as a consequence of managed migration to Universal Credit.

baroness thomas of winchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that an adequate number of work coaches are in post to manage any increase in caseloads as a consequence of the managed migration to Universal Credit.

baroness buscombe: Our plans for managed migration include a range of measures to ensure work coaches are fully prepared to deal with volumes of migrating cases. Resource levels will also be reviewed as part of the planning process to ensure there are sufficient work coaches in place to handle the anticipated volumes. During 2019 we will test and refine our approach to ensure it is working well. This will include testing work coach preparation and resourcing before we take on larger volumes from 2020 onwards, and complete the process in 2023.

Universal Credit: Disability

baroness thomas of winchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that disabled people do not see an end to their financial support if they are unable to make a claim for Universal Credit within the allocated timeframe during managed migration.

baroness buscombe: We are working closely with stakeholders and other parties to design the best possible process for the migration of our customers to Universal Credit. The draft Regulations have been out for consultation with the Social Security Advisory Committee and we look forward to their detailed advice which we will consider alongside the other stakeholder contributions we receive. The regulations will come before Parliament in the autumn, and during 2019 we will test and refine our processes to ensure they are working well before we take on larger volumes from 2020 onwards, and complete the process in 2023.Our focus will be on safeguarding claimants and ensuring a smooth transition with uninterrupted support. We will have a comprehensive and well-supported preparation period for claimants. This will include a variety of communication formats, including face-to-face, internet and postal notification, to ensure claimants are aware of the managed migration process. There is flexibility to extend that period if necessary for claimants; and a process to ensure that, before the existing benefits are stopped, our staff will check for evidence of complex needs or vulnerability or disability and act accordingly to support the claimant. Additionally, if a claimant misses their deadline to claim there are provisions in the draft Regulations that will allow DWP to back-date their claim.

Universal Credit

baroness thomas of winchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to identify disabled people and other vulnerable groups who may require additional support to make a new claim for Universal Credit during managed migration.

baroness thomas of winchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to assess whether the first phase of the managed migration to Universal Credit is being managed effectively for disabled claimants.

baroness buscombe: We are working closely with stakeholders and other parties to design the best possible process for the migration of our customers to Universal Credit. The draft Regulations have been out for consultation with the Social Security Advisory Committee and we look forward to their detailed advice which we will consider alongside the other stakeholder contributions we receive. The regulations will come before Parliament in the autumn, and during 2019 we will test and refine our processes to ensure they are working well before we take on larger volumes from 2020 onwards, and complete the process in 2023. The regulations also include additional transitional protection arrangements for all approximately 500,000 claimants eligible for a Severe Disability Premium.Our focus will be on safeguarding claimants and ensuring a smooth transition with uninterrupted support. We will have a comprehensive and well-supported preparation period for claimants. This will include a variety of communication formats, including face-to-face, internet and postal notification, to ensure claimants are aware of the managed migration process. There is flexibility to extend that period if necessary for claimants; and a process to ensure that, before the existing benefits are stopped, our staff will check for evidence of complex needs or vulnerability or disability and act accordingly to support the claimant. Additionally, if a claimant misses their deadline to claim there are provisions in the draft Regulations that will allow DWP to back-date their claim.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Fly-tipping: Prosecutions

the lord bishop of st albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of statistics for prosecutions for fly-tipping in England; and, in the light of those, whether local authorities have sufficient powers in relation to fly-tipping.

lord gardiner of kimble: In 2016/17 there were 1,571 prosecutions by local authorities for fly-tipping offences. Ninety-eight per cent of those prosecutions resulted in a conviction. The 2017/18 figures are due to be published on GOV.UK in the autumn.   This Government is committed to tackling fly-tipping. We work closely with local authorities and the Local Government Association through the National Fly-tipping Prevention Group (NFTPG). It is the responsibility of local authorities to use the full range of enforcement powers available to them to tackle fly-tipping and we encourage them to do so. The NFTPG has published guidance which sets out clearly the powers available to local authorities when tackling fly-tipping. We have strengthened these powers in recent years by introducing fixed penalty notices for small scale fly-tipping and enhancing the ability of local authorities to search and seize vehicles of suspected fly-tippers.   Earlier this year we consulted on proposals to introduce a new fixed penalty for householders who pass their waste to a fly-tipper. Subject to Parliamentary approval, we will seek to implement the changes later this year. We will also provide updated guidance for householders about how to ensure their waste is disposed of correctly. As two thirds of fly-tipping contains household waste, these additional measures will give local authorities another tool to tackle fly-tipping. Our strategic approach to waste crime will include further measures to tackle fly-tipping and will be published later this year as part of the Resources and Waste Strategy.

Veterinary Services

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to consult the veterinary profession before any changes are made to meet veterinary workforce capacity that could impact on the UK’s ability to trade animals and animal products in line with high welfare standards; and if so, when.

lord gardiner of kimble: Defra is working closely with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), the British Veterinary Association (BVA) and other partners to ensure that there are sufficient numbers of veterinarians to fill essential roles in Government and the private sector after the UK has left the EU. Defra welcomes the continued and valuable input made by the RCVS and BVA into this important work.

Treasury

Economic Situation

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that the UK economy may face a short-term slowdown in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

lord bates: The Government has published its White Paper on the future relationship, which is our vision for a bold, ambitious and innovative new partnership with the EU. The Government remains confident the UK and EU will agree a mutually advantageous deal. Leaving the EU without a deal is in neither side’s interests. Once the Government has agreed a deal with the EU we will provide Parliament with the appropriate analysis of that deal ahead of the vote on the final deal.

Financial Services: VAT

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to recover any VAT tax receipts from City businesses lost in the event of a no-deal Brexit; and what estimate they have made of the amount of any such loss.

lord bates: It is our duty as a responsible Government to prepare for all possible outcomes of negotiations with the EU, including the unlikely scenario in which no mutually satisfactory agreement can be reached. This is why the Government will continue to publish a series of Technical Notices to help businesses and citizens prepare in the event of a ‘no deal’ scenario. However, the Government does not want, nor expect, this scenario to arise.

Fuels: Excise Duties

lord snape: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the estimated annual cost of their decision to suspend annual increases on fuel duty since 2010.

lord bates: The freeze in fuel duty announced at Autumn Budget 2017 is forecast to cost the Exchequer £830 million in its first year. These costs continue in future years. Freezes since 2011 have meant the Exchequer has not collected around £46 billion in revenues through to 2018-19, and a further £38 billion will be foregone over the Budget forecast period as a result of these previously announced freezes.

Cooperatives

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase the number of co-operative companies and institutes in the UK.

lord bates: This Government recognises the value of co-operatives and other mutually owned businesses. The Government’s policy is to maintain a level playing field between co-operatives and other legal forms. In 2014, the coalition government introduced a number of measures to support the co-operative sector, including consolidating all the existing laws, to make it easier for societies to understand and apply the legislative framework and the rules governing them. The coalition government also simplified the electronic registration process to help new societies start up. In February 2018 the Government brought forward a measure to bring audit requirements for small co-operatives into line with those for small companies. This measure came into force on 6 April, and will save growing societies thousands of pounds in auditors’ fees that companies of the same size do not have to pay.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Voluntary Work: Young People

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Local Government Association’s conclusion that only a small number of eligible teenagers take part in the National Citizen Service; whether they plan to reallocate their youth service funding in the light of this; and if not, why not.

lord ashton of hyde: To date, around 485,000 young people have taken part in NCS, and during the time period in which they were eligible to participate in NCS, 16% of the cohort who enter Year 13 this September will have done NCS, or 1 in 6 of the eligible population. Consecutive, independent evaluations have demonstrated the positive impacts that NCS delivers both to its participants and their communities. Government money spent on NCS supports not only the programme but also the organisations it partners with which include over 100 local councils, schools and sports clubs, of which 50 are charities and social enterprises primarily from the youth sector. Local authorities are primarily responsible for allocating public funding to youth services in their area. We believe they are best placed to know what their communities require. However, Government recognises the transformational impact open access youth work can have especially for young people facing multiple barriers of disadvantage, that is why we have invested £40m in The Youth Investment Fund to boost open access youth services in 6 disadvantaged areas and expect over 300,000 young people to benefit. This is one of a number of Government programmes designed to enable young people to develop skills and participate in their communities.

Gambling: Children and Young People

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent children and young peoplebecoming addicted to gambling.

lord ashton of hyde: Protecting children and the vulnerable from being harmed or exploited by gambling is a core objective of the regulation of gambling in Great Britain, and a priority for the government. Operators offering gambling services to people in Great Britain must have a licence from the Gambling Commission and must have effective policies and procedures designed to prevent underage gambling. The Gambling Commission has a range of powers to act in the case of failure, including the power to suspend or revoke a licence, impose financial penalties or prosecute criminal offences. The Review of Gaming Machines and Social Responsibility set out measures to increase existing protections around online gambling and gambling advertising. The Gambling Commission is currently consulting on strengthening age verification protections for online gambling. It is also working with the video games industry to raise awareness of the risks of third parties using its products to provide illegal gambling facilities.

Citizens Juries

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government where and when they intend to pilot citizens' juries.

lord ashton of hyde: The Innovation in Democracy Programme (IiDP) will involve citizens in decision making at local government level through innovative models of participatory democracy. Local authorities will be invited to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to take part in the programme later in 2018/19, with the programme running until March 2020.

Television: Licensing

lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to abolish the BBC licence fee.

lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of the value for money the BBC licence fee represents.

lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they last carried out a survey consulting the British people on their willingness to continue paying the BBC licence fee for the services provided.

lord ashton of hyde: The government considered licence fee funding during BBC Charter Review in 2015. While no funding model meets all the criteria of an ideal system, the current model provides the BBC with a sustainable core income paid by all households that watch or receive television. This model has wider support than any alternative: 60% of Charter Review consultation responses indicated that no change was needed to the current licence fee model, and only 3% favoured full subscription funding. As a result, we have committed to maintain the licence fee funding model for the BBC for the duration of the new 11 year Charter period. The BBC is independent of government. The BBC Board is therefore responsible for the appropriate use of licence fee revenue, and it is for licence fee payers to determine whether the BBC is value for money.

BBC: Political Impartiality

lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the BBC is not politically biased.

lord ashton of hyde: The BBC is operationally and editorially independent of government and there is no provision for the government to intervene in the BBC’s day-to-day operations. The government has embedded impartiality in the BBC Charter and public purposes. The BBC Board is responsible for ensuring the BBC delivers its Charter obligations and Ofcom, as the independent regulator of the BBC, is responsible for holding the BBC to account in fulfilling its mission and public purposes. Alongside this, the Ofcom Broadcasting Code requires all broadcasters, including the BBC, to report and present news with due accuracy and impartiality.

BBC

lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimatethey have made of thenumber of people in the UK who view or listen to the BBC’s news services; and whether that audience is falling.

lord ashton of hyde: The government does not hold information on this issue. Information in this area is collected and published by Ofcom.

BBC

lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have conducted a study into any changing demand for diverse news and internet-based entertainment services and the impact that might have on the BBC.

lord ashton of hyde: The Department for Digital, Media, Culture and Sport has not conducted a study on this issue.